[jonny(elite400)]

Hi all,

We’ve been contacted by Jeff Martone to see if we could host a CrossFit kettlebell cert on 22 & 23 June 09. He has specifically set these dates as he will be on a stopover from South Africa.

We haven’t said yes, but have told him that we would contact the UK affiliates (and post here)nto gage interest – he needs at least 25/30 people on it.

This year we are already hosting,
• European qualifiers - April
• Oly cert - July
• Gymnastics cert, August

We know people’s cashflow has taken a battering lately. Do you think this is a non-starter, or would you welcome it?

Q. Do you think you, your members or friends would attend a kettlebell cert in June this year?
Jeff has said that given all this years UK events/certs so far he could accommodate a date in the Autumn sometime.
Q. Would this Autumn time be any more appealing?

I've attached the course outline for reference. Can you please ask around and give a reply asap. Basically yay or nay will suffice.

Cheers guys,

Helzy

Helen & Jonny Smyth
Crossfit Northern Ireland

tel: 02838 342963
m: 07769 803 286 (Jonny)
m: 07834 537 038 (Helen)

www.elite400.co.uk

Attached File(s)

•  CF_KB_Instructor_Course_OCONUS.pdf (123.79K)
  Number of downloads: 14

[greg]

is this significantly better/similarly priced to courses currently on offer in the UK?

[Franz29]

A guy I know in NJ did this cert last year and he said it was excellent. Martone used to be on Pavel's training team and helped develop the curriculum for that so he knows his stuff. Of the three advertised so far by the guys at elite400 this one is the one I am most interested in attending from a purely technical aspect.

Autumn would be better for me from a financial point of view right now, so long as it isn't in the first two weeks of October when I would be away.

greg, on Mar 2 2009, 10:15 PM, said:

is this significantly better/similarly priced to courses currently on offer in the UK?

I don't have anything to compare to in the UK, but I believe a lot of the "certifications" floating around aren't accredited or recognised by any governing body - much like a lot of weightlifting courses aren't recognised by BWLA; Davie might be able to give us an insight, he is a qualified (and recognised) KB instructor IIRC.

[greg]

I know my friend did this KB course a while back, which is reps approved, and he found it quite useful.

If the CF one is more than £150-200 then I think it might be over priced, especially if it isn't recognised in the UK.

[Chet]

Poll added - please add your votes.

[Rich]

I would certainly like to go to a kettlebell cert, and Martone seems like a very knowledgeable instructor.
It's quite expensive though, and I doubt i'd be able to afford the price and travel this until the autumn.

[Franz29]

greg, on Mar 2 2009, 11:05 PM, said:

If the CF one is more than £150-200 then I think it might be over priced, especially if it isn't recognised in the UK.

The CF certs are a standard $US price so the guys at elite400 have no control over that. It's a shame they aren't recognised in the UK, I feel they would have a lot more takers if they were but in this case at least I think you would get huge value for money purely in the technical aspects you would learn. I actually think the speciality certifications are more relevant to coaching and teaching than the Level 1 ever would be.

greg, on Mar 2 2009, 11:05 PM, said:

I know my friend did this KB course a while back, which is reps approved, and he found it quite useful.

TBH, I'd rather do the instructor course offered by the same people if I was going to do anything from them. Then again, watching the video of the Olympic lifting instructor course I have to wonder about the quality of knowledge being imparted - some of those demo lifts are poor!

[Davie]

I wont be going simply due to funds

I think if you were looking to do a KB course that requires REPS points or accreditation in the UK then there are loads of others out there. The UKKA just got REPS accreditation

As for Optimal Life Fitness, I have a mate who went on their KB course and didnt think much of it.

[WalkerFit]

I've looked into this and have emailed Jonny with my thoughts before posting here.

Whilst Martone is an acknowledged expert, the price, travel etc would be better spent on UKKA Instructor Courses which are comprehensive to say the very least.

UKKA has, as Davie mentions, now been REPS accredited and is really the best course available in the UK and Europe.

If most people are experienced with the 'bells then the UKKA is really the only option. The courses and formats are designed that people are both technically proficient and able to teach theory, practical and methodology to a high standard to ensure quality tuition going forward.

In my opinion this is why UKKA is the best course. There are a lot of so called "Personal Trainers" in the North East calling themselves "Kettlebell Instructors" having attended a 2-day course, they know nothing and are potentially damaging one of the finest tools of functional fitness. UKKA is assessable and demanding- only quality gets through.

Please feel free to contact me if any more details required or check out.

www.ukka.org.

If demand is there I may contact UKKA direct and see if there is any possibility of running another scheduled course for the Funcfit/CF community further to those that have already been pencilled in.


Ben

[Franz29]

Wouldn't mind attending a UKKA course in the south TBH. Do you know what the minimum number of participants/venue requirement is?

[Robbcore]

Franz29, on Mar 5 2009, 01:20 PM, said:

Wouldn't mind attending a UKKA course in the south TBH. Do you know what the minimum number of participants/venue requirement is?

i'd like to second that

[WalkerFit]

Just waiting for an email back from UKKA on this. I'll see what they want to do and let you all know as soon as.